Welcome to the Department of Moral Theology.
The objective of our department is to introduce students to a systematic reflection on Christian moral life and to empower them to reflect critically on contemporary moral issues from a Christian perspective. Our aim is to enable them to perceive moral life as a free and faithful response to God’s call to holiness.
Our courses introduce students to the main areas of moral theology, including its history, sources, historical development and methodology, and a more specialised treatment of specific moral topics related to pastoral ministry in the contemporary world. We study moral issues in dialogue with other disciplines such as philosophy, politics, law, medicine, and the social and behavioural sciences.
We also explore issues in
professional ethics and offer several study-units in these areas to other Faculties and Institutes at the University of Malta.
Our department also specialises in the study of Spirituality as an independent academic discipline. Formerly referred to Ascetic and Mystical Theology, Spiritual Theology is studied from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The Faculty offers two post-graduate degress at a Master’s Level, one specialising in the field of Spirituality and the other in Spiritual Companionship. Various other study-units relating to Spiritual Theology are offered in other degress as well, namely, the Master in Theology programme and the Licentiate in Sacred Theology programme. In collaboration with various course coordinators at the University, some lectures relating to Spirituality are also offered in the Master of Arts in Bioethics programme, the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry programme, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences programme.
Our courses include: Principles of Moral Theology; Politics, Economics and Theology; Bioethics; Sexuality, Marriage and Theology; Reconciliation; Culture, Religions and Theology; Catholic Social Teaching; Environmental Ethics; the Study of Spiritualty as an Academic Discipline; Schools of Christian Spirituality; Spirituality and Social Commitment; and Psychology and Spirituality.
The focus of research conducted in our department is marriage, sexuality and the family; bioethics; environmental ethics; human rights and theology; business ethics; politics, culture and public life; and spirituality.
Spiritual Theology
The study of Spirituality as an independent academic discipline has gained ground mostly within the last century. Formerly referred to Ascetic and Mystical Theology, the area studies each individual’s relationship with the Transcendent, what relationship, if any, exists to religion, and what vital forms have arisen in concrete lived contexts out of such spiritual experience. Because of its inherently subjective and experiential nature, Spiritual Theology is studied from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The Faculty offers two post-graduate degress at a Master’s Level, one specialising in the field of Spirituality and the other in Spiritual Companionship. Various other study-units relating to Spiritual Theology are offered in other degress as well, namely, the Master in Theology programme and the Licentiate in Sacred Theology programme. In collaboration with various course coordinators at the University, some lectures relating to Spirituality are also offered in the Master of Arts in Bioethics programme, the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry programme, and the Liberal Arts and Sciences programme.
